As nominees from around the Group arrived in Frankfurt, Germany on November 7th, the atmosphere was akin to that of a major film awards night than GKN’s annual Group excellence Awards.
A highlight of the Group’s calendar, the Excellence awards programme is closely aligned with divisional award schemes, and features seven awards categories, which have been designed to reflect the key issues which are a priority for the sustainable growth and development of the Group.
Those nominated for group awards bring together the very best examples of GKN people and the projects that they are involved with. This year more than 300 GKN people attended the gala dinner and awards ceremony, with four teams representing the OffHighway Division.
GKN OffHighway put forward six entries for the Group awards. These were:
· Technology Innovation - **
o DLS for the development of a Hydromechnical Powersplit Gearbox
· Society and Community - **
o GKN Wheels Liuzhou for the work undertaken with a local school for mentally disabled children
· Safety - **
o OffHighway Division for elimination of flammable spray canisters from OffHighway locations
· Customer Service
o GKN Wheels FAD for customer service mini business unit
· Production and Business Process Excellence
o GKN Wheels FAD for its spray booth project
· People Excellence and Best Practice Sharing
o S&D for Project SANDI
** - Nominated for Group awards
Nominated for three awards on the night GKN OffHighway took the award for Safety and members from the OffHighway DRMC were there to collect it, Rob Stocker commented “We are very please that we have been recognised for what was initially an ambitious objective, but this was successfully achieved by changing the way in which the DRMC operated so that it integrated with the local businesses making them directly accountable for safety and resulting in a spray canister free workplace”.
Before the awards ceremony began Kevin Smith presented each of the teams who had made it through to the finals with a certificate in recognition of their success in achieving excellence. Please visit the OffHighway intranet for photographs of the nominees receiving their certificates.
In his opening comments to launch the evening Sire Kevin Smith, Chief Executive commented “Excellence is very much alive at GKN and the winners of this years awards provide exceptional examples and much inspiration for us all”
Each winning team at this year’s event received a customised engraved trophy plus a cheque for £5,000 to be spent on employee’s amenities, a celebration party or local charity. In addition each winning team received six engraved watches, which will be either auctioned or competed for by all employees in the winning plants.
Congratulations to all nominees and finalists!